Watching a book get away from you... how do you deal with it?

[GoldCap]

I throw a temper tantrum and break a few things, and then dump the rest of the issues I have of that title because if I can't have that issue to complete my run, then collecting that title is pointless.

 

Temper tantrums...that reminds me of the time I was playing a baseball simulator (MVP 2005) on the computer. The game went into extra innings (21!) before I lost it. I had been playing that one game for almost 2 hours when a ground ball was smashed to the outfield. Easy pickup and throw to 2nd base...but my thumb slipped off the joystick (that moves the player around) and the ball rolled to the outfield wall! Walk-off inside-the-park homerun!! Worst way to lose a game!

 

Instantly, before I new it, I bolted upright, literally tore my shirt off faster than Hulk Hogan and looked around my room for something to smash...but I liked everything too much so I just stood there breathing heavily

 

That was years ago though when I was a young 20 year old!

[The-Collector]

I won my Eerie 1 raw (which graded out 8.5) for my absolute max bid. Which I revised up after spending hours looking at the scans and coming to the conclusion that it was actually a very structurally sound book. I think sometimes you just have to go a bit higher than you feel comfortable with.

 

But you also have to walk away from lots of things.

[The-Collector]

This week is a great example. There is a TON of awesome stuff on ebay right now (Four Favorites 6 or Weird Mysteries 12 anyone?!?!?) and the clink auction is just around the corner. I have a limited budget so can't go after most of it.

 

[fifties]

I have a limited budget so can't go after most of it.

Rest assured that you are the only one this has ever happened to!

[Knightsofold]

It sucks to miss out on a rare one due to cost. But if the cost gets crazy high then I don't feel too bad.

 

Hard to explain, but sometimes losing can feel like you just won a lot of money!!!

 

The worst for me is losing by a very small amount. If paying 10-20% above your maximum gets a book you won't have a chance at for a long time, then I'd rather overpay.

 

Remembering these points help me from going all out nuke style on a book or feeling too bad from losing:

 

Some dealers bid on books they have just to retain they're value.

 

Some dealers bid on a book to restore or marry with their own for big $.

 

You could be bidding against a friend of the owner of the book.

 

If you lose by just a small amount it doesn't mean their max wasn't 5k more.

 

You'll be prepared next time.

 

The book's demand just went down.

 

If you're gonna lose it you can still make em pay on your way out.

 

Would I sacrifice some of my collection for this book?

 

Time to enjoy what you have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Scrooge]

Time to enjoy what you have.

 

That's traditionally been my way to deal with it. Go back to the existing pile and start looking for something else to add.

[fifties]

 

The worst for me is losing by a very small amount.

Not just with comics, but I have both won and lost eBay auctions by one cent, and more than once.

[The-Collector]

I have a limited budget so can't go after most of it.

Rest assured that you are the only one this has ever happened to!

 

There are a few on here I get the impression it never happens to them

[WilliamG.Staggers]

I missed out on probably the best looking "Thorn: Tales From the Lantern" I've ever seen come up for auction before about a year ago. I realize that I might never see this book surface ever again even close to the grade it was in. My mindset in these situations is that the money can be tucked away and added on to later in order to really go for the kill if I see another grail.

 

Just this week I cleaned out my garage so that I could throw a bunch of stuff away but mostly so I could pawn some of the useless junk I've accumulated over the years. I had just enough to pay for one of the nicest books now in my collection. I knew it would sell quickly so I hurried to make it happen. I'm just about broke but I sure am riding this high getting to look at it.

[Knightsofold]

Also, if you acquire a very hard to get book, keep track of others as they get offered and you'll eventually see that most come around again. Often in annoying ways. Like when you try to sell yours. heh.

[adamstrange]

Time to enjoy what you have.

 

That's traditionally been my way to deal with it. Go back to the existing pile and start looking for something else to add.

Not bad, but there's nothing like the taste of a fresh kill.

[Artboy99]

I have been through this myself.

 

The one that I let get away was a recent auction for a Punch Comics #12. The book is high on my want list, but I find it is often too pricey ( like the 8.0 Crowley copy ) or there is something I don't like about the copy available.

The 1.5 that sold recently was a very presentable 1.5, and I tried to win it via the Comicconnect auction. It was quite the bidding war, and lasted over 30 minutes back and forth before I finally decided to let it go as I felt I was up against a bidder that would buy it for whatever it took. I found out quite quickly after the auction that I was bidding against a board member, and I am happy for the winner.

 

I will say that I agree that there always seems to be something I want in the auctions especially this year. I am also so glad I made the foray into golden age collecting as the thrill of the hunt has always been what I enjoy in this hobby, it just took me 30 years to realize it.

[Robot Man]

It sucks to miss out on a rare one due to cost. But if the cost gets crazy high then I don't feel too bad.

 

Hard to explain, but sometimes losing can feel like you just won a lot of money!!!

 

The worst for me is losing by a very small amount. If paying 10-20% above your maximum gets a book you won't have a chance at for a long time, then I'd rather overpay.

 

Remembering these points help me from going all out nuke style on a book or feeling too bad from losing:

 

Some dealers bid on books they have just to retain they're value.

 

Some dealers bid on a book to restore or marry with their own for big $.

 

You could be bidding against a friend of the owner of the book.

 

If you lose by just a small amount it doesn't mean their max wasn't 5k more.

 

You'll be prepared next time.

 

The book's demand just went down.

 

If you're gonna lose it you can still make em pay on your way out.

 

Would I sacrifice some of my collection for this book?

 

Time to enjoy what you have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All excellent points!

[RICK STARR]

I constantly have to decide whether the pain of being broke is less than the pain of losing out on a book I really want. Usually I end up broke.

 

Having said that, the point of owning a comic book is too feel good about it. If every time you look at a comic book you own and it just makes you think about how much money it cost you, then there is no point having it.

 

 

 

Comic books will get you through times of no money better than money through times of no comics.

[fifties]

 

Remembering these points help me from going all out nuke style on a book or feeling too bad from losing:

 

If you're gonna lose it you can still make em pay on your way out.

 

Eh eh, always feels good when, if your mile high bid snipe in the last few seconds just isn't high enough, to leave the high bidder stuck with a spiked amount!

[ft88]

Tough if there is only 1 single book but most of us have at least 3 or 4 white whales. So if 1 passes by then more money left over for the others.

 

Finally picked this up after 10 years of looking. Probably overpaid but out of the three Bugs Bunny books this is easily the toughest. Looney Tunes 1 is pretty easy in mid grade and higher grades do come up for sale once or twice a year. Four Color 33 is surprisingly hard to find in mid grade or above. I still can't figure out why as other Four Colors seem common. I missed out on the 9.0 in Heritage about 12 years ago, it blew past my bid. So that haunts me a bit but it made it easier to bite the bullet on this book. And this one is tough. 7.0 is the 2nd highest grade.

 

So the hunt, the patience and even overpaying after the fact still makes the book enjoyable to own. BTW I paid about $4000 for it so you can judge if I overpaid or not. Felt like it but whattayagonnado.

 

 

 

[Vision75]

I constantly have to decide whether the pain of being broke is less than the pain of losing out on a book I really want. Usually I end up broke.

 

Having said that, the point of owning a comic book is too feel good about it. If every time you look at a comic book you own and it just makes you think about how much money it cost you, then there is no point having it.

 

 

 

Comic books will get you through times of no money better than money through times of no comics.

 

[Vision75]

Tough if there is only 1 single book but most of us have at least 3 or 4 white whales. So if 1 passes by then more money left over for the others.

 

Finally picked this up after 10 years of looking. Probably overpaid but out of the three Bugs Bunny books this is easily the toughest. Looney Tunes 1 is pretty easy in mid grade and higher grades do come up for sale once or twice a year. Four Color 33 is surprisingly hard to find in mid grade or above. I still can't figure out why as other Four Colors seem common. I missed out on the 9.0 in Heritage about 12 years ago, it blew past my bid. So that haunts me a bit but it made it easier to bite the bullet on this book. And this one is tough. 7.0 is the 2nd highest grade.

 

So the hunt, the patience and even overpaying after the fact still makes the book enjoyable to own. BTW I paid about $4000 for it so you can judge if I overpaid or not. Felt like it but whattayagonnado.

 

 

 

Beautiful book. The colors really pop!

[BB-Gun]

I am always surprised when I am outbid. Fortunately, my memory is more long term than short. I forget those might have been books from 2 weeks ago and lament those lost girl friends from 40 years ago.

[WilliamG.Staggers]

 

Remembering these points help me from going all out nuke style on a book or feeling too bad from losing:

 

If you're gonna lose it you can still make em pay on your way out.

 

Eh eh, always feels good when, if your mile high bid snipe in the last few seconds just isn't high enough, to leave the high bidder stuck with a spiked amount!

 

This happened to me last month. The buyer probably didn't expect someone else to snipe as high as he did and he ended up not paying. The buyer offered me the book for my bid so I got it but I can't help but think of the price I would have had it for if that troll hadn't shot up the price.